


A little bit of love in her life

by unxpctedlygreat (Yurika_Schiffer)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: (at least the format of it), 5+1 Things, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crushes, Fluff, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-21
Updated: 2017-07-21
Packaged: 2018-12-05 05:27:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11571285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yurika_Schiffer/pseuds/unxpctedlygreat
Summary: Five times Katie Holt feels love crawl its way into her heart and one time where love is well settled.Because Katie is in love, and it's okay.





	A little bit of love in her life

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MaJe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaJe/gifts).



> Hiiii! This is my first time writing from PIdge's pov, and also my second time actually writing for the fandom lol I hope you'll enjoy! Doing a 5+1 thing was the base idea but it kinda evolved from that I guess woops
> 
> You can find [my Tumblr here](http://unxpctedlygreat.tumblr.com/)!
> 
> Have a nice read ♥

I.

When Katie meets them, they meet her as ‘Pidge’. It hasn’t been long since she’s infiltrated the Garrison and she’s still getting used to the whole ‘being a boy’ thing.

Lance and Hunk haven’t questioned her a single time about her identity and she can’t help but feel relieved. She’s gonna have to work with them and if they don’t make it harder to hide her identity, then it will only help her.

Since she’s only here to get information about the Kerberos mission, she refuses every time they invite her to sneak out of the Garrison. She can see it’s starting to irritate Lance even if he keeps on trying. Hunk doesn’t really seem to care, though he does back up Lance sometimes. Whatever.

The training sessions in the simulator takes up a lot of time, along with normal lessons. Unlike the normal lessons though, the simulator sessions always end up in a disaster. It’s obvious they don’t know how to work together well and they get called out on it by Iverson a lot. There are a lot of other problems to fix too, like Lance’s overconfidence who keeps getting them crashed, or Hunk’s motion sickness who doesn’t help neither the ship nor Katie and Lance. Katie is usually blamed too, but is it really her fault if the commands are so high in this ship?

Iverson tells them they need to work on that, the whole team work thing. Lance invites her to watch movies that night with Hunk and she feels like she can’t say no after all of that. Lance looks like he was expecting her to refuse again despite everything. Hunk’s slightly narrowed eyes tell her he thinks this might end badly. She shrugs.

In the end, the night goes pretty well. Lance’s taste in movies isn’t nearly as bad as his humour (she did comment on that and that earned her an elbow in the side) and Hunk and him are pretty nice to be around, when she puts her mind into it. It’s late in the night and way past the curfew when she has to leave. She will have to sneak back to her room but when she goes out of theirs, she kind of feels lighter.

They have this kind of nights a few times after that. Not as often as Lance would want to but quite often anyway. They’re still a disaster in the simulator because they keep on arguing, and Iverson shouts at them again. Well, they’re used to it by now.

What they’re less used to is when they get shouted at after doing pretty well. They’re all left raging but they can’t talk back. When they’re dismissed for the day, Lance asks her if she wants to come watch movies with them again. His voice betrays how he’s feeling despite the smile he puts up on his face. Hunk tells them he’ll be a little late but will join them with snacks and they nod and wave at him.

Katie isn’t used to being alone with Lance but it doesn’t change a lot. He still talks for the both of them, and while he doesn’t mention the simulator as they cross the corridors to reach his room, Katie knows it will come out when they’re there.

And it does. As soon as the door closes behind them, Lance starts letting it out. He’s still taking out what’s needed for the movie night but everything comes out nonetheless. Katie finds herself agreeing with pretty much everything.

“I can’t believe it; we almost had it perfectly right this time! Ugh. I think Iverson hates us. Whatever. What do you want to watch tonight? We’re not finished with all the Disney movies but if you’re up for something else, it’s game if we have it.” He’s looking at her, already set up against the wall of his bed. Without Hunk, it feels more intimate than she would like it to but Lance isn’t making it weird, so why would she? She makes her way next to him and looks at the laptop screen.

“I don’t mind going on with Disney,” she says. She knows most of the names in his movie folder but she doesn’t feel like watching stuff that require more attention. She’s tired.

He starts the movie, the sequel of the one they watched last time. She usually tries to avoid touching Lance or Hunk and getting too comfortable but this time, she decides it’s not a problem. Hunk does that all the time and Lance is feeling frustrated. She knows he’s a physical contact kind of person, so surely it will help. So she lets herself fall to the side, knocking into his shoulder and arm.

If he’s shocked or surprised, he doesn’t let it show. He readjusts his position so she can get comfortable and lean in the contact. She does so. And it feels nice, in the end; Lance is warm and the movie, if not super interesting, makes for a nice background noise and view.

Hunk comes back around the middle of the movie. He doesn’t say anything, even if Katie sees the way he looks at where she’s comfortably curled up against Lance. If her hearts start beating faster and she feels herself get warmer, well, nobody has to know she knows why.

 

II.

Really, she’s not surprised when she and Hunk are back in the workshop-like room of the castle. They spend quite a lot of time there when they’re not saving the universe or suffering in the training room. Coran has given them plenty of things to play with, judging that it’s better they play with those rather than take apart everything else in the castle. More often than not, they make improvements to the existing technologies or at least change the device enough to give it a new purpose. Which is part of why Coran had enough of them in the first place.

Right now, Hunk is finishing to open the remote they found. They sort of know what it’s used for so they at least know they won’t blow up things (they shouldn’t, at least). They haven’t been at it for that long, honestly. Hunk is an expert when it comes to this kind of things, so of course it doesn’t take long.

As soon as he’s done looking at the different components and has made a mental list of everything, he lets her have her way with the programs of the remote. He’s watching her type on her keyboard at the speed of light as usual, pretty intently. She knows he can understand some what she’s typing and that’s why she has come to learn not hate having him looking over her shoulder. Sometimes he’ll notice something she typed wrong or wonder about something. She’ll either thank him or explain what she’s doing. She has found that she doesn’t mind explaining while doing, especially when it falls in an eager ear.

“What are you gonna reprogram this one for? Last time we found a way to display the Galra equivalent of TV on the toaster. Which I’d like to remind you isn’t helpful when I try to cook because these shows are ridiculous but interesting anyway. It’s like Earth TV! You start watching because there’s nothing better and then you’re invested in it and you can’t stop watching. Oh my god, Pidge what if it’s part of the Galra propaganda and I’ve become one of them? What if I’ve been brainwashed by that documentary about Galra sustenance?!”

Katie snorts. “I’m not sure a documentary about food is going to make you pledge allegiance to Zarkon. Also I guess we could make this thing an actual remote? Maybe I can find Altean music or something, and we can use that remote to get some music during training?”

“Are you sure we’d be allowed to do that?”

“We can’t be forbidden to do it if nobody knows we’re doing it,” Katie says with a mischievous glow in her eyes. She looks at Hunk from the corner of her eyes and he’s grinning too. For all the times he complains about being included in shenanigans, he’s still always up for them. Katie knows they’re gonna have fun next time they’re in the training room.

She just has to find whatever music files there might be around and add the ones she had on her phone and then program the remote. Then Hunk will put it back together and they will just have to wait.

He’s invading her space, his head close hers as he follows the quick lines of code she types. She doesn’t mind. She’s used to it now and she finds that she welcomes the closeness, a little. They’ve gone a pretty long way, from the suspicious gazes at the Garrison the first time she had agreed to follow them. Now they work well, like a real team. And they’re good friends, too. Even if her heart tells her she’d like a little more than that. She will deal with that another time though.

 

III.

They’re in the training room again, sweaty and out of breath and, yes, Katie would say ‘dying’. But she doesn’t have the time, the gladiator is lashing out at them again. Distantly, she hears Allura’s voice echo in the room, calling the training off. She’s already letting herself collapse on the floor, no grace to be found but no care either. Her eyes are closed and she’s working on finding her breath again.

Distractingly she listens to the others. Shiro is giving them a summary of what he has noticed could be improved but also of what was done well. It’s not directed to her in the least, though; Shiro seems to have understood she wouldn’t be answering for a while. She thinks he’s talking to Lance and Hunk right now, which leaves Keith out of the group. She gathers the last traces of energy she has inside of her to lift her head and look around.

She finds Keith sat on the floor not too far from her, watching Shiro, Hunk and Lance. He must have seen her move from the corner of his eyes because he looks over at her with a raised eyebrow. A question. If she weren’t as used to him as she is, she might have been confused. But she knows it’s his way of asking if she’s okay. She let her head fall back and gives him a thumb up from the floor. She hears him snort and she kinda wishes she had enough strength to look at him again and see if she has made him smile.

There’s movement then, and the sound of footsteps approaching. He’s standing up next to her now and she looks at him a moment. He’s sweaty and his face is a little red but he’s clearly better off than she is. He crouches down and holds out his hand for her to take. She considers the hand a moment, if it’s really worth the effort. He nudges her hand with his and she makes up her mind. Keith doesn’t often initiate contact, so when he does, it feels unfair to deny him. And it’s not like she minds a little help getting herself back together.

Once he has helped her back up and standing, she needs a moment to actually remain standing. He lets her lean against him until she finds a proper balance.

“You did pretty well,” he tells her. She glances up at him and he has this awkward face he makes when he isn’t sure the words he’s using are the right ones.

“Thanks; you’re not so bad yourself.”

This time she gets to see it. It’s not a big bright smile, but a ‘Keith smile’: small but happier than if he forced himself to make it bigger. He’s amused and that’s what she was aiming for, so her mission is a success. They see him smile a lot, even if not as often as the others. But knowing that this smile is for her and her only makes her body warm; and she’s pretty sure a blush is forming on her cheeks, but hopefully she can blame the training.

He puts a hand on her shoulder and she looks at him again, curious.

“We should join them and get our post-training speech from Shiro now. If he has to make it outside of the room, we’re done for a one-hour lecture, probably.”

“He’s done that to you before, right?” The only reply she gets is another little smile and a shrug.

His hand lingers on her shoulder a moment too long – though too long for what, she’s not sure she wants to tell. She follows him, the beating of her heart strong. She can’t blame the training anymore.

 

IV.

They have found him. They have finally found him. He looks dead tired, probably feels so; but he’s _here_. He’s back. She can’t help the tears forming in her eyes and the smile on her lips, but the others are not doing any better anyway. Keith is the first one to hug Shiro and they let him. They all know how hard it has been on him and they all agree that he deserves that moment. Once he lets him go, though? They’re all over Shiro. Hunk’s hug lifts Shiro a bit too high for his liking and Hunk apologizes. Lance is a mess but manages to stay up right anyway. All the touches are familiar and everyone is in everyone’s personal space but none of them cares.

When the boys finally free some space around Shiro, it’s her turn. She runs and flings herself at him, wrapping her arms as best as she can around his torso. Shiro’s quick to return the gesture, his hands warm and his hold firm against her back.

She’s made fun of Lance for being a mess, but really she’s not better. Shiro is not his brother, nor his father; but he’s family too, just different. Just like she doesn’t want to lose Matt and her dad, she doesn’t want to lose Shiro.

Shiro’s left hand ends up in her hair and she feels him play with it gently. She knows it’s more to reassure himself that yes, he’s actually here back with them. Katie’s hair isn’t the softest but it’s not a problem.

The others reach again for Shiro and they both let them join the hug. Katie doesn’t move an inch, and Shiro’s hand stays in her hair even if the other one tries to hold the others now. It’s a warm and wet hug they’re having but none of them cares. Shiro is back and that’s what they care about.

They decide to walk him back to his room once they’ve calmed down. Katie reluctantly lets him go but she stays close, like the others. They reach it pretty quickly and soon enough Shiro is on his bed. He looks like he wants to get back up but they insist he should rest. Coran tells everyone that it’s preferable they _all_ rest and talk more tomorrow. But they’re having trouble leaving. Allura hesitates too but she ends up using a firm voice to tell them off.

Slowly, the boys start going out of Shiro’s room. They glance back at him a few times while doing so, but they do leave. Katie thinks she heard Lance say they would be sharing a room tonight. She guesses it makes sense, that they wouldn’t feel right alone. Allura and Coran are waiting for her to leave now too so they can follow and give Shiro some deserved peace and quiet.

But Katie looks at him, propped up on his left arm like he feels bad for laying down completely if there’s someone here. She sees his eyes and she sees the silent plea he doesn’t seem to be able to voice.

“I think I’m gonna stay,” she says, looking back at Allura and Coran. Allura seems about to retort, but Katie goes on, “he has just spent weeks along who knows where. I get that he needs quiet, I can do quiet. I don’t think leaving him alone is going to help him rest.” She sees Allura glance at Shiro then back at her. Allura sighs then turns to Coran. He only smiles at her, so she concedes.

Katie grins and waves them good night and waits until the door is closed to face Shiro again. He’s allowed himself to lay down now, and when she walks closer and sits on his bed, he looks at her. He offers her a soft smile and takes her hand in his.

“Thank you.”

“Do you really want quiet?” Shiro lets out a breathy laugh. His thumb has started rubbing against the back of her hand and she doesn’t resist the urge to tighten her hold on his hand. “I can do quiet, it’s true. But I don’t think you want quiet.”

“You’re right, I don’t want quiet. At least, not total silence.”

“I knew being a chatterbox would come in a handy someday.” He smiles up at her and she mirrors it.

He gestures with his right hand for her to get settled on the other side of the bed. So she does. She’s sitting cross-legged for now, and his right hand is touching her ankle. She wants to tell him that he can hold her ankle, but it’s the Galra hand and she knows he would probably worry about crushing her. So she doesn’t tell him.

She starts telling everything that happened while he was gone, everything she can say that the others don’t necessarily want to be the ones telling him. She goes off topic a lot of times, including lots of details that aren’t really useful or stories that are also funny. Shiro has closed his eyes but she knows he’s still listening. She watches his face from time to time, takes in how his face starts to soften and relax.

She’s in the middle of an unrelated story when she hears a first light snore. There are a few more that come, some louder than others. She doesn’t stop her rambling at first. When she’s done with her story, she quiets down. Shiro doesn’t move or stir. She smiles.

He’s asleep and his face looks so different when it’s not haunted by responsibilities and stress. Or at least, not as much as when he’s awake. She wants to reach out and touch his face but she thinks better of it.

She shifts and curls up against him. His right arm instinctively makes room for her and while he’s not holding her, there’s still a little pressure against her back where his hand is. Shiro is warm and well. Shiro is here. And she is too.

Her heart is warm and full and she wouldn’t do anything against it. Wouldn’t deny it either. She’s happy and, yeah, a little bit in love.

 

V.

They’re all in the room they use as ‘movie room’. Katie is sitting in the middle of the couch, comfortably settled against Hunk’s side. Her feet are pushing against Shiro’s thigh on the other side. Keith and Lance are fighting over the remote, mostly because it has been decided that it’s Keith’s turn to choose the movie but Lance doesn’t trust his tastes.

Katie is warm and safe where she is.

Shiro’s right hand is on her calf, rubbing the skin gently and Hunk’s head is a comfortable weight against hers. Keith and Lance are done fighting and finally come sit in front of the couch, Keith on the right, Lance on the left. Lance’s shoulder knocks into Shiro’s leg and he leans back. Katie reaches out to pat Keith’s hair, enjoying the way he leans into the touch.

She’s comfy, warm and in love; and loved too. The others never let down a chance to show her how much they care for her. She’s got a bit more trouble showing it as openly as Lance, Hunk or even Shiro. She’s on par with Keith, probably.

Her heart still beats faster when they look at her, but now she knows theirs do the same. The way they each look at her is different, because _they_ are different and they love her in their own unique way. She melts under the soft fire in Keith’s eyes, gets overwhelmed by the sheer affection she can read in Lance’s eyes. She laughs when Hunk looks at her because his eyes always promise a lot of fun. Shiro’s eyes show all the pride and admiration he holds for her and she gets a little bashful. But no matter which of them it is, no matter how many of them they are at a given time, she will always let her heart speak for her now.

For now, her heart tells her to relax and enjoy the moment. They’re all at peace and the movie is starting, and she’s feeling amazing.

One of her feet shifts until it touches Lance’s back and he takes a moment to look at her, smiling before his attention gets caught by the voices from the speakers.

She never thought she would be like this one day. But she’s happy that she is.

 

* * *

  
+1

She’s just starting to leave the dream world when she hears whispers around her. The voices are familiar and feel like home, so she doesn’t worry and doesn’t open her eyes. She kinda wants to fall back asleep, if she’s being honest.

But the whispers are clearer now that she’s more conscious.

“Ssssssh you’re gonna wake her up, mullet.” Lance whispers, sounding slightly annoyed.

“It’s a miracle if she’s not already awake with how loud you whisper, idiot.” Keith replies on the same tone.

“Guys, can we not whisper-argue now? I feel like it’s not the right place for it. Or time. Both.”

She struggles to stop the smile that threatens its way out there. She wants to see what they’re planning and what exactly they’re trying to be discreet about.

“Just move away a bit, these aren’t heavy but I’d rather have my hands free, please. And Hunk, the cake is sliding.” Shiro says.

“Oh, woops. I’m a bit nervous, sorry.”

There’s movement around and on the bed and she resists the urge to open her eyes just yet. Then there’s a snort, and she knows that snort well enough to groan right away despite her attempts at looking asleep.

“You know you guys can speak outloud, right? She’s totally awake and you all look kinda dumb, honestly.”

“Go ahead and ruin my fun, Matt.”

There’s a surprised gasp coming from her left, and she opens her eyes finally. Lance almost looks betrayed, though he’s grinning. Keith is next to him, all soft look and smile and she can’t help but smile back at the both of them.

She sits up and stretches a moment before looking at her brother and sticking out her tongue at him. He replies the same way. On her right, Shiro and Hunk are looking at her amused. She sees the cake they were talking about and her stomach growls loudly, initiating a general laugh.

The cake is beautiful and really, she’s hungry. There are candles lit up on it and it takes her a moment to remember why there would be candles. Her brother and her boyfriends start singing before she can tell them not to, _because it’s embarrassing, guys._ Some of them try to sing with the most obnoxious voice they can take (she knows Matt is one of them and she will punch him when she can), the others doing it with all their heart even if their singing voice isn’t the best.

When they’re done with the song, and she has blown on the candles of the cake, Matt jumps on the bed like he owns the place and starts ruffling her hair. She slaps his hand away and makes good on her promise to herself to hit him in the chest.

“Oof! Is that a way to treat the most wonderful brother in the universe? I even got you a present!”

“Do I really want a present from you, though?”

“Yes, you do. Now shush and open it. Happy birthday, nerd.”

She takes what he gives her and as she expected, it’s a ridiculous gift. She’s not even sure what it is exactly, but it looks goofy and it’s from Matt, so of course it’s ridiculous.

She puts it aside and now it’s her boyfriends’ turns. They all start off by giving her a kiss, and if it weren’t for Matt being here, she would have tried to get more than just quick pecks.

Shiro is the first one who gives her something, saying that because he’s the one who had to carry all of their boxes, he gets to be first. The others try to argue but he doesn’t give them time and hands Katie a small box. She opens it and sees a little bracelet. It’s simple: a cord and a small green pendant. It’s nothing that would bother her when they’re out saving the universe but it’s enough of a reminder of him. She puts it on right away and pretends she’s not blushing when he takes her hand to kiss the pendant.

The second one to reach out for a box is Keith. He grabs the smallest one left and hands it to her. She opens it, curious to see what Keith might have found. He’s known to be the least creative about gifts, never really knowing what to buy. This time though, his gift is spot-on. Katie lets an excited squeak when she recognizes the octagonal device.

“Is that the brain-teaser from the Nyhrlf’r planet? Keith, that’s so cool! Thank you!” She shifts to her knees to hug him tight. He kisses her shoulder, then her cheek and her lips again when she lets go. She’s grinning when she sits back in the middle of the bed.

Lance tuts before she can start playing with the puzzle, probably knowing all too well that if she starts now, they won’t have her attention at all for the next few hours. Her grin grows sheepish but she puts the octagon aside. Lance reaches out to take one of the last two boxes. He gives it to her with an eager face, probably excited for her to open it. She’s only half surprised when it turns out to be clothes, because Lance loves offering clothes and accessories. What surprises her more, in a very fond way, is that the clothes don’t look like anything they’ve seen so far. Which can mean only one thing in her mind: he did them himself. There are two dresses, a skirt and three tops, as well as shorts. Lance looks so proud and she feels so too, because they’re really pretty. She jokes that she wouldn’t mind trying them on, but given that Matt is here it’s better she doesn’t start undressing all of sudden. “Later,” Lance tells her with a gleeful sparkle in his eyes.

The last one to give her something is Hunk. He has put the cake down on the bedside table for the time being so his hands are free. He picks up the last box, the biggest one and probably the heaviest and puts it in front of her. She’s curious to know what it might be, so she doesn’t lose time and gets rid of the wrap paper. There’s a general exclamation when the last part of the paper falls off. It’s a _microwave_.

“Holy shit.”

“Dude! You made a microwave and you didn’t even tell us?” Lance shouts, excited. “That’s so cool!”

“I did make a microwave but it’s for Katie only! You guys are forbidden to approach this, I don’t trust any of you with it. Also you guys don’t need it, but like, she kinda does, you know? Like, when she’s locked herself in the workshop and she forgets to eat and all? That way she can heat it up. If it doesn’t blow up. But! It shouldn’t blow up. I made sure it wouldn’t. But y’know, we never know.”

“Awww, I love you Hunk. Always looking out for me.” Katie grins up at him and it’s his turn to get hugged. Though this time the others decide it’s time to join in the hug because soon enough all of her boys are holding her tightly.

She thinks she hears the click of the camera function on her phone but she doesn’t care at the moment. Later she’ll have to actually get out of the bedroom and stop living on a happiness bubble with her boyfriends but for now, she’s just gonna enjoy the hug.

“We technically have a last present for you but it will have to wait until later, or tonight.” Shiro says.

Matt snorts from where he’s still sat on the bed. “I can leave you guys alone, if you need.”

“I’d rather your father doesn’t come in the room searching for her because we should have been in the dining room thirty minutes ago anyway. So tonight.”

“Dining room? Is there more for me? Am I getting spoiled rotten all day and everyone has to be nice?”

“In your dreams, KitKat’. But the cake isn’t just for you and we’re kinda all waiting for you so we can eat it.”

Katie sticks out her tongue at Matt again, but the boys do let go of her anyway. Lance agrees that he’s starving and that the cake smells and looks too good for not being eaten now and that they should hurry.

Matt leaves first, followed by Hunk who has picked up the cake again. Lance follows the call of his stomach right behind Hunk. Shiro tells her they’ll tidy the bed later but that they should go now. Keith suggests she tries on one of the dresses Lance has made for her and adds that they’ll be going on ahead.

Once they’ve left, she looks a moment at the door. And she thinks she’s very lucky to have them. Because she loves them but most of all, _they love her_. They show her that every day already but they’re ready to show it even more today. It’s her day and they’ll make sure she doesn’t forget that.

Katie’s in love, and it’s okay. They’re in love too and that’s what matters.


End file.
